Brenda Walker (born 1957 in Grafton,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

) is an Australian writer. She studied at the University of New England in

Armidale Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale had a population of 24,504 as of June 2018. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It ...

and, after gaining a PhD in English (on the work of

Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and tragicomic expe ...

) at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

, she moved to

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

in 1984. She is now a Winthrop Professor of English and Cultural Studies at the

University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...

. She has been a visiting fellow at Stanford University and The University of Virginia. Brenda Walker is the sister of songwriter and musician Don Walker, and daughter of author Shirley Walker.

Awards

* 2011:

Nita Kibble Literary Award The Kibble Literary Awards comprise two awards—the Nita B Kibble Literary Award, which recognises the work of an established Australian female writer, and the Dobbie Literary Award, which is for a first published work by a female writer. The Awar ...

, winner for "Reading by Moonlight" * 2010: Victorian Premier's Awards, Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-Fiction, winner for "Reading by Moonlight" * 2010: Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, shortlisted for "Reading by Moonlight" * 2007:

Asher Award The Asher Award was a biennial Australian literary award administered by the Australian Society of Authors between 2005 and 2017. It was established by the Australia Council after a bequest from the late author Helen Asher. It was disestablished ...

, winner for ''The Wing of Night''Other Award Winners
/ref> * 2006:

, winner for ''The Wing of Night'' * 2006: Miles Franklin Award, shortlisted for ''The Wing of Night'' * 2006:

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, th ...

, Christina Stead Prize, shortlisted for ''The Wing of Night'' * 2006: Waverley Library Award for Literature, The Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize: winner for ''The Wing of Night''Waverley Library Creates Award to Honour Buzo
/ref> * 2000:

Victorian Premier's Literary Award The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were created by the Victorian Government with the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia's publishing industry. As of 2013, it is reportedly Australia's richest literary p ...

, shortlisted for ''Poe's Cat'' * 2000:

, Christina Stead Prize, Shortlisted for "Poe's Cat" * 1990: T. A. G. Hungerford Award for an unpublished manuscript, winner for ''Crush''

Bibliography

Novels

* ''Crush'' (1991) * ''One More River'' (1993) * ''Poe's Cat'' (1999) * '' The Wing of Night'' (2005)

Memoir

* ''Reading by Moonlight: How Books Saved a Life'' (2010)

Edited

* ''The Writer's Reader: A Guide to Writing Fiction and Poetry'' (2002)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Brenda 1957 births Living people Writers from New South Wales Australian women novelists